Tag Archives: Janet Mock

People were thrilled to be introduced to Caitlyn Jenner as she worked the cover of Vanity Fair like the queen that she is. But as Janet Mock and Laverne Cox have already pointed out, there are many important issues in the transgender community that still need our attention, especially in communities of color.

There are so many incredible activists working day in and day out to see that trans people get their basic needs met, such as rights to housing, medical attention and legal services. Below are seven Latina trans women who are pounding the pavement to make positive changes in our communities.

1Carmen Carrera

Known for her stint on season 3 of “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” this Puerto Rican-Peruvian model has proven she’s much more than just a pretty face. Over 48,000 people signed a campaign requesting Carmen Carrera as a model in the Victoria Secret Fashion show, which would have made her the first transgender model to walk down their runway.

While Carrera unfortunately didn’t receive the chance to rock the coveted angel wings, the model is signed with Elite Model Management, one of the top modeling agencies in the world. When Carrera isn’t modeling, she is an adamant activist for trans people, AIDS awareness, and eliminating the words “she-male” and “tranny” from society’s vocabulary.

We Happy Trans, a website that celebrates the positive experiences of transgender people, and This is H.O.W., a Phoenix-based trans advocacy organization, have teamed up for the first-ever “Trans 100” list.

The list began as an idea by This Is H.O.W. Executive Director Antonia D’orsay, then developed in partnership with Jen Richards of We Happy Trans.

The inaugural Trans 100 list, composed of transgender people from all over the United States was created with the intention of shifting the coverage of transgender issues by focusing on the positive work that is being accomplished, and providing visibility to those typically underrepresented.